The fallout from the June 27 presidential debate continued to make headlines over the weekend, with President Joe Biden’s future as a candidate being questioned following his debate performance. NBC News released a report on Saturday, June 29, that said the Biden family would discuss the future of the president’s reelection campaign during a previously planned weekend family gathering at Camp David.
Biden’s campaign said the report was false, calling it “100% media-fabricated” and said Biden will be the Democratic nominee.
Biden advisers told CNN the president’s family at Camp David, including the first lady and son Hunter, encouraged him to stay in the race.
Those advisers said there were talks about whether the aides who helped prepare the president should be fired, after some Democrats blamed Biden’s performance on his prep for the event.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said on CNN’s State of the Union it was a case of “preparation overload” and the president should continue to run his record.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., meanwhile, has admitted there are ongoing serious conversations in the party following the debate.
“I mean, this is what a real political party looks like, and this is what a real political party does,” Raskin told ABC News. “Obviously, there was a big problem with Joe Biden’s debate performance, and there is also just a tremendous reservoir of love for Joe Biden in our party. So, this makes it a difficult situation for everybody, but there are very honest and serious and rigorous conversations happening at every level of our party, because it is a political party, and we have differences in point of view.”
Raskin said whatever Biden decides, the Democratic party will be unified.
Biden himself has spoken out about his debate performance. At a rally in North Carolina on Friday, June 28, he said he doesn’t debate as well as he used to but knows how to get the job done.
“I understand the concern after the debate,” Biden told supporters during a campaign fundraiser in New Jersey. “I get it. I didn’t have a great night, but I’m going to be fighting harder.”